1. Field of the Invention
Many construction projects result in sloped areas without ground covering such as plants. Agricultural fields also may include sloping areas. These sloped generally bare areas will erode drastically with time and weather unless they are equipped with conservation tools. Various implements have been devised by which a fabric-like fence can be partially inserted in a soil furrow and secures by posts and the like. The fence acts to reduce the erosion of the soil from above the fence and stop it there. Several fences may be required in a single sloped area.
2. Background of the Invention
U.S. Pat. No. 3,182,459 to Grether provides an installer mounted on the side of a tractor and which automatically adds the posts. This installer includes a fabric chute employing at least one rod as a pivotal directions changer for the fabric.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,915,878 to Carpenter provides an installer wherein the fabric is positioned transverse to the direction of travel and is inserted partially in a furrow by a wheel.
U.S. Pat. Nos. D502,470, D504,134, 7,044,689 to McCormick provide a pull-behind installer having a longitudinal frame, a plow element and a fabric chute. The fabric chute is designed to require the fabric to successfully make two turns with the fabric, the second while exiting the leading edge of the chute and turning so the fabric is deposited in the furrow made by the plow element. This design requires the leading edge to be perpendicular to the longitudinal frame and includes a rod at a 45 degree angle from the leading edge around which the fabric makes the first turn so the fabric direction is turned forward, then out the leading edge and a 180 degree second turn to reverse its direction. For threading the fabric, the chute is made of separate plates hinged together on one side so the chute can be opened and closed easily. The direction and position of entry and exit of the fabric are such that the 45 degree angle must be at the trailing edge in order to allow the chute to be opened and threaded and cleaned and the leading edge must be about perpendicular with the ground to provide appropriate alignment of the fabric into the furrow. This arrangement requires a deflector for the front exit slot of the chute to keep dirt out of the chute which may otherwise impede the flow of the fabric. In short, two direction changing rods and two plates hingedly connected on one side are necessary for this installer to function properly. One version of this plow allows the frame to pivot relative to the mounting bracket; another allows a tongue and plow to pivot on the frame steadied by springs.
In addition to dirt lodging in the chute and the necessity of complex structures to allow ease of fabric threading, earlier silt fence installers are plagued with other common problems. Among these problems are a deficit for sharp turns and a lack of versatility for lateral adjustment relative to the mount on the towing vehicle. In addition, the arm upon which the fabric roll rotates is vertically fixed and the deflector adds drag as the installer is moved through the soil. It is therefore one object of the present invention to avoid problems related to dirt in the fabric chute. A second object is to simplify the chute structure and yet increase the ease of threading. A third objective is to structure an installer that is both stronger yet more agile and responsive. A fourth objective is to decrease the drag from that resulting from the use of the regular sized installer and that caused by employing a deflector. The final objective is to provide an installer with a hitch mechanism to allow lateral adjustment.